Residents of North Oxford have been protesting vigorously
against the property development plans of St John’s, fearing
the harmful effect on the community. St John’s plans to turn a former artist’s studio
into a five bedroom house, but residents claim that the road to
the property is too narrow for safe vehicle access. There is also
anxiety among residents that this is the first step on a slippery
slope to further potentially innocuous development by St
John’s and other colleges. Residents claim that children are particularly at risk from
the increase in traffic associated with the development, given
that there are nine schools in the local area. Many of the pupils
use the street as a shortcut when walking to school. The land agent of Balliol College however, who manages the
nearby Balliol nursery, has written to the council acknowledging
that “there are several institutions involving young
children established in close proximity to the site and their
welfare is of great concern to us”. Some residents believe the development is merely setting a
precedent for larger projects. St John’s bursar Anthony Boyce denied this, saying,
“We have no specific plans at the moment,” adding that
“one family house can’t be called cut-throat
development.”ARCHIVE: 3rd week TT 2004
‘Ruthless’ St John’s
